Third match without victory

Reds drop points in Frankfurt

Created on 2016-10-01 at 17:20 PM
by Redaktion

Ten-man Eintracht Frankfurt held FC Bayern to a 2-2 draw in Saturday's first Bundesliga match after the international break. Arjen Robben put the German record champions in the lead early into the contest, but Szabolcs Huszti levelled the scores shortly before half-time. Joshua Kimmich netted Bayern's second on the hour, but despite Huszti's dismissal just after the hour, the Reds found no reply to Marco Fabian's goal with ten minutes to go. Niko Kovac's troops handed their head coach a birthday present, taking points against Munich on the former Bayern pro's 45th birthday.

Bayern started with Manuel Neuer between the sticks behind a back four of David Alaba, Mats Hummels, Jérôme Boateng and Philipp Lahm. Xabi Alonso filled the holding role behind Kimmich and Thiago, with Kingsley Coman and Robben out wide and Thomas Müller up front.

Carlo Ancelotti made five changes to the team that faced Köln before the international break. Lahm, Boateng, and Alaba replaced Javi Martínez, Juan Bernat and Rafinha in the rearguard, while Thiago and Müller took over from Renato Sanches and Robert Lewandowski. Sanches came on for Alonso, whose passes did not always find a team-mate on the day, at half-time. Later Lewandowski and Rafinha replaced Coman and Robben.

The contest was only 10 minutes old when David Alaba set up Arjen Robben to score the opener. The hosts piled forward in search of an equaliser after the half-hour. Boateng was forced into a brilliant tackle to thwart a gilt-edged chance for Eintracht before Neuer was equal to Alexander Meier's header on the half-hour. Meier, who was a menace throughout, then connected with a Timothy Chandler cross but fired wide. Huszti levelled the scores shortly before the interval following a mix-up in the Bayern box, the first goal Bayern have conceded against Eintracht in 799 minutes.

Fabian thwarts Bayern's efforts

The game picked up pace after the interval, with Bayern dominating proceedings and the hosts dangerous on the break. Kimmich's long-range effort skidded wide, and the near post denied Coman from 12 yards. But the pressure was building, with chances were coming thick and fast for the visitors now, and Kimmich scored the yearned-for second from close range on the hour from a Hummels assist. Huszti's sending-off for a second bookable offence after a tangle with Sanches seemed to have handed victory to the men in red, but Ancelotti'd men were in truth some way off peak form and the day turned sour when Fabian chested in Eintracht's second equaliser with ten minutes to go.

The result means Bayern have 17 points from seven matches, two clear of new second-placed team Köln who beat Ingolstadt after Borussia Dortmund and Hertha Berlin drew their match on Friday. The German record champions next entertain PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday. Their next Bundesliga appointment is next Saturday, when they face Borussia Mönchengladbach at the Allianz Arena.